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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29409441">i loved the good side of you, i can love the bad side too</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ffslynch/pseuds/ffslynch'>ffslynch</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Hero Akaashi Keiji, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Character Death, Villain Kozume Kenma, superhero au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:00:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,271</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29409441</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ffslynch/pseuds/ffslynch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They were supposed to be heroes, raised and trained together to fight for the good side. But things don't always go as planned.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akaashi Keiji &amp; Kozume Kenma, Akaashi Keiji/Kozume Kenma, Kozume Kenma &amp; Kuroo Tetsurou</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Akaken Week 2021</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i loved the good side of you, i can love the bad side too</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValeReads/gifts">ValeReads</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic is a birthday gift to the most amazing <a href="https://twitter.com/ReadsVale">Vale</a>!!! If you like akaken, then you should definitely check out her <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValeReads">fics</a>, she is the Akaken queen.</p><p>You know that if adult responsibilities weren’t a thing, I’d have written a fic for each day of this week for you - you are the akaken queen, after all, and it would be only fair. However, this was not possible so here’s the one thing I could come up with. It’s not the most amazing thing in the world and you certainly deserve better, but I do hope you enjoy it. You’re the most amazing friend and I love you very very much. Thank you for talking to me and sending photos of Taki and Mindy and shit talking [redacted] ship and always making me laugh so hard. Happy birthday Vale, I hope you have the most incredible day, because you deserve nothing but the best!  Te quiero mucho 🖤</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>I - THIS IS HOW WE LEARN, OUR DESTINIES ARE INTERTWINED</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi had been asleep for maybe 30 minutes when the alarm sounded. He woke up with the booming sound of the siren ringing on his ears and the red lights from the hallway seeping their way under the door of his room. His breath was stuck in his throat - were they under attack? Were they being called to an urgent mission? Was someone outside hurt and needing help? Was there a natural disaster going on? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mind was already racing through the different possibilities when he heard a knock on his door accompanied by Sugawara’s voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Akaashi” He called “Get ready, we’re being called to back up a rescue. Shiratorizawa is under attack”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah, so that was what was happening. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Coming,” Akaashi yelled, already out of bed and getting dressed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi wondered how bad the attack must be that the Shiratorizawa team couldn’t keep up the defence themselves. They were a team of pristine heroes, only the best of the best. Not even some of the best heroes Akaashi knew had been able to make it to their team. It certainly put into perspective just how dangerous must be the villains that attacked them. Well, dangerous and possibly insane.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi had joined his own team a little over a year and a half before, after he took a short break after graduation from the hero academy. There was a good period of a few months when he had questioned himself if he was even cut out to be a hero, despite being his childhood dream and having been under training for all of his teen years. The events of his second year in High school at the academy were etched in his mind, making him see people in the shadows and doubt his ability to help others. Somehow,  he ended up being recruited and had the chance to have an interview with the Karasuno Team. Back then, Akaashi wasn’t sure why he was even going, but in the end he was glad he did. He wasn’t sure how, but in between asking him about his powers and qualities and flaws, and talking to him about the story of their base, they had somewhat given him a little faith again. A some sort of hope that maybe, just maybe, he could help other people and other heroes, that he could be the assistant hero he had dreamed of when younger. So, to his own surprise, by the end of the interview he found himself asking them when he could move in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Karasuno was a good team, and Akaashi was quite proud of being a part of it, although they were definitely not the most refined group of all times. In fact, his base was known for having a rather mixed team of heroes - people from different areas and different training academies. People said it made them messy, Akaashi thought it gave them range. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he stepped out of his room, Akaashi let out a sigh of relief. It was not that he was happy that other heroes were under attack, he would never be happy about that. But he couldn’t deny that the alarm and Sugawara waking him up had been a good thing. Today had not been...a good day. It had threatened to rain the whole week, but it hadn’t yet, so the air was thick with humidity that made it hard to breath and Akaashi felt like he was choking on the air. He had seen a cat with large golden eyes outside his window during lunch and couldn’t eat for the rest of it. He had Udon for dinner, and then politely refused when Nishinoya offered him a slice of apple pie for dessert. He felt sick just from thinking about it. Bokuto had asked him to do extra training after dinner, but Akaashi had felt exhausted and went to bed instead. It had been a bad day, and in bad days like that, Akaashi always had nightmares. Nightmares that had been plaguing him since his younger days in the academy, when he was still a hero in training. Nightmares with rain, and open windows, and an empty feeling in his chest that he got with the thought of being left behind, of someone dying, of someone maybe being dead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi was not happy that there were heroes and civilians under attack and being endangered, but he was happy Sugawara had woken him up. He wasn’t sure he could take many more nightmares. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he arrived in the reunion room, most of the other heroes and assistants were already there. Daichi and Michimiya looked serious, reading a report as Sugawara came in with the final round of people missing. When everyone was there, Daichi sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok everyone, we just got a memo from Semi Eita from the Shiratorizawa team. Their base is under attack, it’s still unknown to us by whom because the message got cut but Kiyoko is trying to keep up with the news and social media to see if she can find some sort of hint and pictures of what’s happening. You guys know the drill, we’ll be dividing ourselves into different groups of four, two heroes and two assistant heroes. If you’re a hero, make sure you have an assistant nearby. Make sure you find all three other people in your group before checking in and making back to our base.” Daichi repeats the same instructions Akaashi had heard for every mission he has been to since he joined their team. It was good, organized, practical, considerate. Akaashi liked it, it was one of the reasons why he had chosen the agency. Also, because Bokuto had applied to it, and it never hurt to work with a familiar face, someone he trusted enough to have his back in a fight and had faith in enough to follow into death in case of a war. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi and Bokuto had known each other for years now, since middle school, although they had only become friends in high school. They were a good team, a powerful one, and people knew they worked well together. So it came with no surprise when Daichi paired them together, it was second nature and expected at this point. The other duo in their group were Hinata and Kageyama. They were new, had just graduated, and completely different (Kageyama had always been considered a ‘prodigy hero’, while Hinata had fought with tooth and nail until graduation, struggling to control his powers), but you would have to be blind or delusional to say that they didn’t work well together. Even if they were both still rookies, they had yet to lose a fight on their own. Akaashi knew they would be fine, and was glad to be put in the same team as them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They geared up and made their way to their base’s garage, to pick a car to go to the scene. Kageyama was looking at his phone, trying to see the news, while Hinata walked by his side, mentioning his theories for the attack out loud. Akaashi was trying to keep up with Hinata’s train of thought, although it was difficult when he used so many onomatopoeias to explain his main points, when he felt a large hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Bokuto smiling at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s do this,” he said, and Akaashi let out a deep breath, giving him a side smile back. Even if he was nervous, even if the world outside was dark and brittle, even if the inside of his head felt broken and his chest hollow, it was difficult to not have hope and feel motivated when he saw Bokuto’s smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go,” he said, entering the car. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>II - THIS IS HOW WE START, ALONE IN A FRIDAY NIGHT</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi was only 14 years old when he joined the hero academy. It was younger than most but later than any prodigy. He had a good superpower, but not an outstanding one, and decent control over it, but nothing impressive. He would be a good hero, there was no doubt, but he would most likely be an auxiliary one, instead of a main hero. An assistant, as they called. He knew that, had known since young. Some people were born stars, and he wasn’t one of them - not that he cared. It didn’t matter much to him, details such as official titles or if there would be merch with his face or not. At the end of the day, Akaashi was joining the academy because he wanted to grow into someone that could help others, and not to see his name in the newspaper. He would have become an idol if that were his dream. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, as excited as he was for joining and starting his training, it wasn’t exactly easy and smooth sailing. Akaashi hated to admit, but adjusting to the academy was harder than he thought it would. The dorm rooms were ok, and he liked that they had private bathrooms. He didn’t mind having to occasionally cook, although he was quickly finding how bad he, and most of the male population of his age apparently, were at it. He knew that he should have expected a harder demand during the physical training than he had at his previous school, which had been a normal one and not hero-development focused, but he had not been quite ready for 5 am drills and midnight drills and 2 hours long runs followed by weight lifting followed by 3 hours of combat training. It was excruciating at best and torturous at worst. That was not the worst part, however. No, the worst part had been an enemy that Akaashi had since childhood, a difficulty that followed him since young and was, sadly enough, a necessary skill in his field and in life in general.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The worst part of the academy was how utterly unprepared Akaashi was to try (and fail) to make friends. He simply couldn’t. Every conversation he tried to engage in was either boring for him or filled with jokes and references he simply couldn’t catch on. On his end, people often seemed uninterested in what he had to say - probably because, after a while, all he talked about were the subjects they were studying. He simply didn’t know how to be casual or suave. It was disastrous, one full month and a half of failed conversation and an attempt at socializing after the other, until he gave up on trying to start conversation. He simply didn’t. He read his books, and ate his food, and ran his miles and fought when prompted by his teachers, but that was it. There was no conversation or interaction between the bare minimum necessary. It was good, he told himself. It kept him focused, working hard, studying more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was lonely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hated to admit, but it was. Hero’s work was, by default, group work. Akaashi wasn’t exactly a people’s person, but he couldn’t deny he felt like there was something especially wrong with him for being so much by himself and unable to create connections. It was especially frustrating when he saw so many of his colleagues easily bonding, easily falling into a pattern of trust and friendship that made their lives better as humans and easier as heroes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His 7th week at the academy was ending, and Akaashi was making his way back to the library, his newfound ritual - Go to the library, sit in between the back bookcases, read until it was over 8pm. He knew most of his colleagues had moved on from the kitchen to one of their bedrooms to have the closest thing to a party that you could have as a teenager in a highly strict training school. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, however, as he walked into the space in between the 17th and the 18th bookshelf, Akaashi found himself not alone. There was someone else there, waiting for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, not really waiting for him - the boy seemed more concerned about the video game in his lap than anything else, completely out of the rest of the world as if the tiny screen in front of him was the only thing that mattered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lack of awareness could easily get you attacked,” Akaashi thought, and then pressed his lips together, trying not to reprimand him out loud. He had quickly learned that no one liked someone ordering them around, or criticizing their decisions when not asked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just because I didn’t look up doesn’t mean I don’t know you’re there,” The boy said out loud, suddenly. Akaashi looked at him, with his eyebrows raised in surprise. “Also, you never know, I could be pretending to be unaware, so you would let your guard down, so I could attack or one of my partners could attack,” He continued, eyes still on the screen. Akaashi pressed his lips together again, this time trying to hide a smile. He was good. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry. I just didn’t expect anyone else to be here.” Akaashi said, sitting beside the boy. He didn’t seem to mind, but didn’t say anything else either. Akaashi fidgeted with his fingers for a bit, the silence stretching longer and his anxiety higher. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but couldn’t find anything mildly interesting to say. He was about to do it again, when the boy interrupted him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Even if I couldn’t hear you, I could physically feel you overthinking.” He said, bluntly, before shutting down his game and turning to face Akaashi. When he finally looked up, his face no longer shadowed by his dark hair covering his face, Akaashi noticed his eyes were the same colour as melted gold. Akaashi would have guessed he had some sort of fire or lava based power, if he was taking only that into consideration, but the boy's previous comment was more informative. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Telepath?” He guessed, and the boy nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about you?” he asked, and Akaashi half smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mind shield.” A counter opposite to the stranger’s power. How odd, that they would find each other like that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh” the boy said, blinking, before smiling back at Akaashi, shyly. “Nice. Glad you’re not a villain then, would make my life harder.” Akaashi chuckled, agreeing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good thing I’m on your side then.” He said,  before offering a hand. “I’m Akaashi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kenma,” the boy replied, squeezing his hand. “In which class are you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Class 1A. What about you?” Akaashi pried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“1B,” Kenma answered. “Do you have any idea of how they will classify you as?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Assistant hero, probably.” Akaashi said and shrugged, a smile on his face. “What about you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Same” Kenma said, nodding a little. “Does it bother you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all. I like helping, and by being an assistant I can help twice as much; both the heroes, and the civilians.” Akaashi explained. He knew it sounded silly, but it was true. “What about you?” Kenma shrugged once again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mind it either. Besides, I hate being under the spotlight.” he explained, and Akaashi nodded. He could see that - he was pretty sure Kenma hadn’t made eye contact with him once since this conversation had started. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you always wanted to be a hero?” Akaashi asked, and this time Kenma snorted - which was a new but not unpleasant sound at all in Akaashi’s opinion. He decided he wanted to hear more of it in the future. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all,” Kenma answered. “My best friend dragged me here. He convinced me to start training when we were kids, just playing in the backyard, and then somehow convinced me to apply for the academy when I got old enough last year. I don’t know if I would make it without him, to be honest. He has helped me a lot. He’s going to be a hero. Probably one of the best of the next generation.” Kenma explained, and there was a soft smile in his face that was almost fascinating. It wasn’t a romantic thing, not at all, but there was a level of caring and respect in that smile that made Akaashi feel warm inside. It was a smile born out of inspiration. Akaashi wanted to be the reason someone would smile like that one day, even though he doubted it would ever happen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s his name?” he asked, and Kenma opened his mouth to answer, but a sound interrupted him before he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“KYANMA!!” A yell came through the library, and Kenma scoffed. A head popped into the narrow hall in between bookcases where they had been sitting. Akaashi had to blink twice to make sure the person didn’t have some sort of second head power or was a bird hybrid - his hair made it difficult to do so. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kuro,” Kenma said, lowly “Don’t yell in the library.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re the only ones here anyway,” the stranger replied, approaching them. “I see you’ve made a friend.” He said looking down at Akaashi, and offered his hand with a smile “Kuroo Tetsurou, nice to meet you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi blinked. Kuroo had brass coloured eyes that made Akaashi feel safe, even if he wasn’t in any danger at all. His smile was bright, filled with white teeth and a tiny dimple on the left side. His hair was jet black, wild and all over the place, but it was undeniable that it had some sort of charming aspect to it. Overall, Kuroo was the image of a confident, reliable person. It was captivating. Akaashi was, undeniably, looking at a hero. It was impressive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Akaashi Keiji,” He replied, after gulping down his own impressiveness, slightly embarrassed. He shook Kuroo’s hand, and Kuroo’s smile grew larger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pleasure to meet you Akaashi.” He said before turning to Kenma “Now, you little rascal, did you forget we had planned to run extra drills today?” Kenma rolled his eyes at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t forget, I just didn’t want to do it.” he replied, and Kuroo put a hand over his heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You wound me Kenma. How are you going to become the best if you don’t practice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who says I want to be the best?”</span>
</p><p><span>“I know you enough to know you wouldn’t settle for less,” Kuroo pointed out, and Akaashi found himself biting the inside of his cheek to not laugh at the exchange. “Besides, as your future partner in fighting, we need to be in synch! That requires extra training!”</span><span><br/>
</span> <span>“Kuro...We’ve been fighting and training together since we were 8. I don’t know how much more in synch we can get,” Kenma explained. “Besides, I can literally read your mind.” Kuroo scoffed at that but Kenma continued. “And you had your friend there. He doesn’t like me.”</span></p><p>
  <span>“Bokuto adores you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He thinks I’m scary.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know how to tell you this Kenma, but that’s because you are. You almost look like a villain sometimes,” Kenma had just opened his mouth to counter-argue, when  Akaashi briefly interrupted their bickering, with a question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you possibly talking about Bokuto Koutaro?” He asked, and Kuroo grinned, excited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you know him? We’re in the same pro-hero class.” Akaashi nods.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We went to middle school together, but I don’t think he remembers me. We never talked before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, guess you’ll have to find that out tomorrow. Join us for extra training!” Kuroo proposed, and Akaashi looked at him with his eyes wide in surprise. “C’mon, it will be fun! Besides, I’m sure it would be a great extra incentive for Kyanma here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop calling me that,” Kenma grumbled, but didn’t deny. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so that was how Akaashi found himself agreeing to it, trying hard not to laugh at them. The four of them started regularly training and then having meals and studying together, creating a connection that went beyond classes. It would be more than useful in the future - family, beyond work. The four of them, an inseparable group that nothing could come in between. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One simple afternoon, post dinner, in the library. An innocent conversation. That’s how Akaashi found Kenma, and Kuroo found them. If only life had been kinder, maybe they would have made history, like they planned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But life was never easy for heroes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>III - THIS IS HOW I MAKE MY WAY TO YOU</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The skyline was just a blur outside, as their car made its way through the city at a less than recommended speed. Bokuto drove with one arm hanging on the window and his eyes fixed on the road, and even though Akaashi trusted him with his life, he had to admit that his driving skills were a little terrifying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hinata was sitting beside him, they worked well together, keeping their eyes on the road. Akaashi sat on the back, with Kageyama. It was more silent, but they were both more in-their-head before a fight than hands-on action like the hero and assistant in the front seats. The division worked well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi scrolled through his phone, mindlessly checking the reports sent by Kiyoko. His eyes stopped as he read the recent messages in which she relayed the reports by the media and some civilians. Akaashi hummed to himself. He should probably test the waters of how Kageyama was feeling before they got there. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How are you feeling about tonight?” He asked, with what he hoped was a casual voice. Kageyama was silent for a minute, before nodding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m ok. A little nervous about Shiratorizawa, but I think we can handle it. I hope.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah yes, Akaashi thought. Kageyama’s original plan was to apply there as a hero, but he had been rejected. Akaashi supposed it was hard to meet their standards when they had heroes such as Ushijima and Tendou. It certainly must be scary to go in a fight against a group of villains who took down the heroes that you admired and rejected you for not being good enough. Kageyama looked oddly calm, but was he really? Should Akaashi be scared as well? Akaashi shook his head - No, that wasn’t right. Akaashi knew Kageyama, had seen him grow into a strong hero who had learned how to count with his assistant and how to back off from a fight when people were endangered. He could trust him. They would be alright.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think so too,” he said, giving Kageyama a side smile before biting down his lip. Now came in the punch - the news that had made him nervous in the first place to begin with. “Some civilians have reported black holes in the sky” Akaashi added, slowly, hesitant. Kageyama kept facing forward, no reaction whatsoever. “You do know that means, don’t you?” he pushed anyway, because Akaashi can never truly rest under the idea that one of the younger heroes might be suffering. Kageyama nodded, curtly. His jaw was tense and so were his hands, closed fists beside his body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can do this,” he said. “I can fight him.” Akaashi nodded, and they both pretended to not listen to the waiver under the metal steel voice that came out of Kageyama’s mouth. Fear and trauma hidden beneath courage and sadness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok,” Akaashi said simply because he knew better than to argue with Kageyama of all people. The boy nodded, taking a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing a little. Having Akaashi’s trust in him definitely helped an extra boost of confidence. Akaashi nodded back, giving him a soft smile before turning and looking out of the window. There are millions of buildings with tiny windows, most with the lights still up. The skyline is almost neon bright against the dark sky with no stars, and the moon is yellow and half shaped - like the smirk of a cat that watches far away, hidden in the protected shadows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In normal conditions, Akaashi would have been more worried about Kageyama facing his ex-mentor and friend that ended up trying to murder him. Maybe more incisive about him staying, or bringing extra back up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tonight, however, he had his own troubled past waiting for him to worry about. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>IV- THIS IS HOW I LOST YOU, IN MY NIGHTMARES AND THEN IN REALITY</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been weeks since the incident, but everyone still acted as if the blood was still fresh on the doorway, dripping down the walls and onto the windows of the building. It hadn’t happened on their roof exactly, but it might as well have. Losing a member of the team, another hero mid-mission, always felt like an especially painful personal attack, in your house, your own home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi woke up, covered in cold sweat, the same nightmare as always plaguing him thorough the night. He relaxed a little, when he realized he was awake and back to reality, rubbing his eyes before getting up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the past few weeks, Akaashi has started a new daily routine. It wasn’t too different from the last one - he still read at least 10 pages in bed right after waking up, still did meditations to make sure his brain was rested and power was on level 0, still washed his face and brushed his teeth. The difference happened outside his dorm room, a new detour before he found the kitchen of his quarters to have his brewed coffee with milk and a slice of toast. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, every morning, after leaving his room, Akaashi softly padded two halls away, to Kenma’s room. It was his responsibility to make sure he was awake and functional now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, no, that’s not quite true. It wasn’t his responsibility per see, no one demanded that he did, and he sure didn’t receive any compensation for it. But he did it anyway, saw it as something he had to do anyway. Because if he didn’t check on Kenma, then who would?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their main heroes were all busy, doing damage control, and they all knew Kenma wouldn’t let them in any way. The other auxiliary heroes were too afraid of Kenma, even more in his current state, to actually do anything. Akaashi was sure they would have tried otherwise, but if Kenma’s stare was already scary enough in regular circumstances, then now it was just a new level of darkness to it.  Bokuto was too afraid to talk to Kenma, to say the wrong thing, to do the wrong thing, to sets him off. Besides, he was also dealing with his own stuff, and Yaku had put in a request for transferring the very next day. He worked in a different base now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, Akaashi made sure Kenma was alive and awake and ready to eat something and keep on living, every morning. He had to, because he cared about Kenma. He had to, because no one else would. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just had to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he got to Kenma’s dorm, he knocked softly at the door, 3 rapid and polite beats against the wood, and waited. And waited. And waited. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Silence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kenma?” he asked, before knocking again, a little louder this time. No answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This wasn’t too odd. Before, it could have meant that he had spent the night playing video games and was now dead to the world. Today, it could just mean it was a bad day and Akaashi would have to work extra hard to get him out of bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi knocked a third time and called his name a second, for the sake of politeness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m coming in,” he warned, just so Kenma knew, so he wouldn’t be too startled or could turn his face away so Akaashi wouldn’t see what he wanted to hide. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he opened the door, his face was hit with a rush of wind. The windows were open, the curtains flailing wildly up and down with the morning breeze. The bed was unmade, the TV was off and everything was a mess. The room looked exactly the same except for one thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The windows were open, and Kenma was gone. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V - THIS IS HOW WE MEET, LOST IN THE SHADOWS</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they got there, the sky was still pitch black dark - there were still at least a couple of hours till sunrise. Akaashi was glad Bokuto was there, his powers will certainly be useful to light up the sky, and Hinata too, if he’s able to keep himself under control. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi took in the scene in front of him, what once was a powerful building crumbling under multiple vines. In the sky, massive black holes appeared. He knew what that meant, had seen this scene too many times before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The vines, multiple plants that could have been used to heal and protect but instead were made to destroy and swipe away enemies. They were under the power of Iwazumi Hajime. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The black holes, able to transport people not only in between places but in between dimensions. It was the perfect power to kidnap someone powerful and get rid of them altogether, or make a flawless escape. They belonged to Oikawa Tooru. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone knew their story, it was the perfect plot of a nightmare or maybe of a Hollywood franchise. Oikawa, the Assistant Hero that got rejected by the academy and chose the life of a villain instead of a ‘second place’ position. Iwazumi, the Hero that loved his childhood best friend too much, and followed him into the dark path. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone knew their story. Akaashi hated their story. Hated the idea of good people becoming bad due to bad circumstances, or because someone they loved was no longer on the good side. They could have been mighty heroes, the best ones, but they had turned their backs to society instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi hoped Kageyama was not frozen out of fear - the reaction he had had the first time they had faced Oikawa on an open field. Not that Akaashi could blame him, Oikawa had been Kageyama’s senior and mentor after all, and the timing of his rejection by the hero academy and Kageyama’s nomination to the best future hero when he was too young to even choose a position, had definitely not been the best. Many had speculated that it had driven Oikawa over the edge, and although Kageyama remained stone-faced in front of the rumours, Akaashi had no doubt that there was some level of guilt, looming inside his heart. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi shook his head. No, he couldn’t be worried about Kageyama right now. He would be fine, he had Hinata now to remind him that heroes were not the best and most powerful ones, but the ones that kept fighting for the right thing, even when everything put them in disadvantage. Hinata was there, so Kageyama would be fine. Akaashi could focus on what mattered - finding Kenma. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> At least he hoped Kenma would be there. There had been many rumours that he had joined Oikawa’s gang after leaving the academy. The rumours only started almost a year after his disappearance, but then again Kenma had always been good at lying low and keeping himself hidden. The last rumour had come only a few months ago, a hero had allegedly seen him fleeing a scene, longer hair and golden eyes. The hero had been so beaten down, however, that it had been impossible to Akaashi to put his faith in him a hundred per cent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So now, there he was, surrounded by dust of the crumbling building and screams of civilians. He could hear Bokuto clapping his palms together, thunder lightning the sky. Somewhere behind him, Daichi was flying and carrying civilians away from the scene, probably to where Sugawara was healing them. Akaashi looked at the building and where the vines were coming from - underneath? No, behind. Iwazumi and the rest of their crew must have gone in through the back, an area that was safe for them to have a safe scape route and attack at the same time. Somewhere behind that building, was Kenma. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Going through the sides would actually mean being more vulnerable to be a collateral effect to the attacks, so Akaashi made his way through the building. He walked carefully, eyes swiping through the rooms and hallways before stepping into it. He kept himself away from any shadow with weird shapes or holes and closets that could contain hidden people. He reached the centre of the building, where there was an open garden. Akaashi escaped the torn hallway and approached the three steps stairway that led to what once had been well-kept grass and classic white metal benches. As he was about to step down, however, he stopped. There was a shadow that looked too much like a human on the opposite stairway. It was shorter, and lean. As it came closer and closer, stepping into the light, Akaashi was able to identify the details - long dark hair with dyed blonde tips, a faded black and red outfit that was too big for him, golden eyes that could burn down cities. Akaashi took a deep breath, taking in the vision.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Standing at the other side of the garden, was Kozume Kenma. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>VI - THIS IS HOW WE LOSE, PART BY PART</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been raining all day that week. Akaashi hated it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>For normal people, rain would mean a good book, maybe a nice drink in the cosiness of your home. Maybe even some popcorn and a cheesy movie on the TV, or typing away work on your laptop, a soothing sound of nature’s natural music created by the water hitting tiles and windows. Akaashi used to love rain as a child. He started liking it less, as a teen, when it meant getting public transportation in the rain. He liked it even less now, that it meant training and sometimes doing actual work under the rain; water falling from the sky blocking his vision, thunder messing up his and his colleagues hearing, mud and streams on the ground, making it slippery and harder to run. Rain had once meant comfort, but now it meant inconvenience. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi also hated rain, because if it hadn’t been raining, thunderstorms filling the sky with bright and loud lightning, then the guards would have seen something. Would have heard something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But they didn’t. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so, their hero agency had come under attack. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>No one was a hundred percent sure how or when it had started, who had been hurt or kidnapped first. All they knew was that, in order of reports, a shadow had started to appear and grow in different corners, attacking both heroes and assistants, engulfing and swallowing them. Then, heroes were reported on cameras turning against each other - what was later found out to be a shapeshifter, pretending to be a friendly colleague to get them with their guards down. And then, as the big final, the twins arrived.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Miya Twins covered the attack the same way they had done with their own careers - a blow out that no one had seen coming. They had been prodigious, perfect heroes ready to save the world, a powerful duo that no one had any doubt or misplaced faith. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So when they turned their backs to the Hero community, becoming unlawful and cold-blooded villains at the age of 15, no one really knew what to do. Kita, who had been their mentor at the time, still blamed himself for not being enough for them, for losing them some way - even though Aran repeatedly told him that there was nothing he could have done. Truth was, it had been so out of the blue that a large part of the population didn’t even believe it. Many had hoped that they had been hypnotized or were being held, hostage against their will, and would someday turn back to the good side. No one could predict what was coming, no one could even imagine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That night, at Tokyo’s hero academy, had been their debut. Their first big attack. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All senior heroes had gone after them, worried about their incredible powers and ability to communicate with each other, quick and silent, as well as change places when convenient. Strategically speaking, Akaashi could understand why they did it, he could see where they were coming from and why they thought it was a good idea. They probably thought that the rest of the heroes in training could handle it on their own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They hadn’t really imagined that there would be more of them, followers of the twins, inside the building - men huge and strong like walls, or with electrical powers that could shut the power down, or that could turn into snakes, biting some and suffocating others. Everyone had been worried, everyone had been fighting. Most of them winning, even. But not all of them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone was busy, fighting their own battles. So when Kuroo Tetsurou got hit and fell out of the window, hitting the ground behind the training centre, no one had noticed. No one except Kenma, who had watched the whole thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, the heroes won and the villains lost - not without making significant damage. The twins and their crew disappeared into the night, and the rest of the academy was left to deal with the crumbling messes they left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the senior heroes found them, Kenma’s tears had dried, his hair stuck to his face and neck dripping with water, sweat and tears, his hands stained by blood. Kuroo’s head was on his lap, hair fallen back revealing his face. His amber eyes, once filled with unwavering confidence, were glued to the sky. There was no life behind them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>VII - THIS IS HOW I FIGHT FOR YOU, WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi wished Kenma had thrown in a punch. He wished he had attacked him. But instead, Kenma had simply disappeared in the shadows once again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi cursed under his breath, throwing himself into the garden and sprinting to the other side, trying to catch up to him. He knew Kenma wouldn’t fight him. The biggest problem with having polar opposite powers - Kenma being able to read minds, Akaashi being able to block mind readers - was that they simply couldn’t fight against each other. It was useless. They would simply have to resort to hand in hand combat, which had always been something Kenma despised. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a second part of Akaashi’s brain too, a part that was much more hopeful and that Akaashi tried his best to ignore and condemn it stupid. It was a part of his brain that told him that Kenma wouldn’t fight him, because he didn’t want to. That Kenma was still good, and not a villain. That Kenma would come back to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi hated that part of his brain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He did his best to ignore any resemblance of a hopeful thought, as he made his way through the hallways, always able to catch at least a shadow of Kenma’s presence or the echo of his feet hitting the floor. Akaashi was able to spot small messes here and there, evidence from fights and attacks that happened before they had gotten there. Tables upside down, chairs scattered on the floor, a whole bookcase semi-destroyed, its remaining books creating a sort of video game puzzle on the floor, making it hard to go through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The chase ended when Kenma finally ran into a hallway with no exit. The windows were too high for him to jump, there was no way to climb up. When Akaashi turned into the hallway and saw him standing there, golden eyes burning into him, he knew exactly what was going through Kenma’s mind. No exit. The only way out was through him. The only way out was through a fight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kenma, please,” Akaashi pleaded weakly, stretching his hand, hoping that Kenma wouldn’t do it, wouldn’t fight him. “Let’s go home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was useless. Kenma charged in his direction, eyes cold and focused. Akaashi was nothing but a target, a rock in his way, an imbecile on his way out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kenma swung, and Akaashi ducked, taking a step backwards. Kenma went left, Akaashi went right. Kenma kept attacking, Akaashi kept escaping - a useless came of attack and retreat, where one wouldn’t reach and the other wouldn’t retaliate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a dance they had done before many times, in training combats and practice - except this time it was real. They had trained together enough times that Akaashi still knew Kenma, still could tell his movements, what he was going to do next. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kenma,” Akaashi tried again, because he was anything but someone who gave up easily - especially when the subject was his best friend. “Please. Stop this” Akaashi said, ducking once again, sticking his leg out straight in an attempt to make Kenma lose balance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up,” Kenma muttered, leaping over him, his knee missing Akaashi’s face for only a few centimetres. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is not who you are, this is not what we were trained for,” Akaashi ignored him, continuing his attempts to convince Kenma. “Please, think about everything we worked hard for in the academy, everything we learned and everyone that trained us.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>If before Kenma’s eyes were burning, at the mention of the academy they turned cold like ice. When he spoke again, his voice was sharp like the wind, venomous anger pouring down with it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The people that trained us failed. None of them should call themselves heroes. They should have saved him, and they didn’t. They should have protected him! They had promised to protect him!” Kenma yelled. His voice was fire, it burned everything around them. Akaashi trembled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kenma, we were going to be heroes…” Akaashi started, but Kenma cut him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What is a hero?” Kenma asked, but the flame behind his eyes made it clear it wasn’t a  real question. “A hero is an ego in the form of a person. It’s a poor excuse of a megalomaniacal that likes to pretend that he helps people, but abandons his own in times of need.” He said, bitterly.  “I don’t give a fuck about heroes.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kuroo was a hero too.” Akaashi added, and Kenma looked at him like he had received a slap in the face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It took a beat or two of silence, and then he sneered. Kenma charged into Akaashi’s direction again, but this time, when Akaashi tried to step backwards, his back hit a wall. He had been cornered, and now Kenma’s face was only a few centimetres away from his, a knife thinly pressed against Akaashi’s throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. And now he’s dead.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>VIII - THIS IS HOW I LOVE YOU, SILENT AND CONSTANT</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Life in the academy progressed slowly. Akaashi found himself a new routine that wasn’t bad, and he liked it. He would wake up and do his drills with Kenma. Then he would go to his theoretical classes alone, which was good because he didn’t like being distracted when studying. After that, he had practical training that had started during the second trimester after he and the rest of the first years had been selected into their categories of hero or assistant hero. Both he and Kenma had been designed as assistants, which was predictable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> Akaashi liked it, because it meant that not only they had drills together most afternoons, it was also easier to just go to lunch together and then back to their dorms to study or relax later. More often than not, Bokuto and Kuroo would join them, but sometimes it would be just Akaashi and Kenma. They were together most of the time. Akaashi found out he liked that - In fact, he liked it so much that sometimes he wished that he and Kenma had been placed in the same theoretical classes, or in the same dorms floor. Akaashi really liked spending time with Kenma, he was the best friend he had ever had and that was great!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except that Akaashi was pretty sure that you shouldn’t have dreams about your best friend. Or at least not dreams about them falling asleep on your bed, head pressed against your shoulder, the warmth of their body next to you. Not dreams about soft humming on your ears, as your best friend runs his fingers through your hair, pressing his lips against your forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Certainly not daydreams about how pretty his eyes are, when they finally look into yours, or about how good his hands looked, and how much you want to hold them in between yours and never let go. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The realization came to him somewhere at the end of their second trimester. They were watching a movie in Bokuto’s room, some silly romance. Kuroo had started talking about how he never understood when heroes in movies had wives and full on families.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just so dangerous,” He said “They could so easily get hurt. It’s stupid.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not stupid” Kenma piped in, eyes still glued to the screen “Or at least I think so. If you really love someone, then it should be worth it, right? To take a risk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, would you want to get married, Kyanma?” Kuroo teased, and Kenma had rolled his eyes at him, but shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe, who knows.” he said, almost shyly, and even though the conversation had progressed to other topics, that one sentence simply wouldn’t leave Akaashi’s head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kenma would date someone. Kenma was open to having a relationship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not like it was something shocking or an impossible possibility, it’s just that Kenma had never talked about attraction or romance, ever. Never had even indulged in the conversations prompted by Kuroo and Bokuto and their ludicrous scenarios (they were both hopeless romantics who loved to one-up one another), so Akaashi had simply concluded that it wasn’t something Kenma was particularly interested in, until that very moment. Kenma’s sentence, however, that short piece of information given so deliberately, changed everything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It dawned on Akaashi that he desperately wanted to be the one in that relationship, that the idea of Kenma with anyone else made him crazy. He sneaked a look at Kenma, grateful that his own power meant Kenma couldn’t ever read his mind. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi guessed he must have lost something happening in the plot, because when he looked over, Kenma was laughing. Full on laughing, with pink cheeks and tears in his eyes. It was the most magical sound Akaashi had ever heard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that moment, Akaashi knew that he was screwed. He was, undeniably, in love with Kozume Kenma. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a secret he carried under his skin and lodged in his throat for over a year. It was painful, but bearable. After all, all Akaashi wanted was to spend time with Kenma, and if that meant keeping his feelings to himself in order to not ruin their friendship, well, then that's what he would do. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Things changed once again on a mundane Monday night, during their second year. It was another late night in each other’s dorms, but this time, it was only Kenma and Akaashi and their books, studying for the fast approaching exams. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi didn’t even remember what he had said, some dumb pun he had probably stolen from Kuroo and Bokuto and that he was sure would make Kenma roll his eyes and make an offhand comment about Akaashi losing his braincells. Yet, this time, as Akaashi looked at him, leaning on his door frame, Kenma had chuckled and squeezed his arm before leaving the room. Akaashi blinked, surprised, and looked up to find that Kenma was already looking back at him. He was standing in the hallway, giving him a full on smile - which he rarely ever did. Akaashi blinked again, speechless. He was no master of observation, certainly  not like Kuroo or Kenma, but there were a few things he had noticed through the past few months, and all of those tiny details were coming to him in a rush at that very second, like a wave swallowing him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kenma rarely ever laughed so openly. Kenma never initiated physical contact with other people. Kenma did those things with him, often. Kenma had a light blush over his cheeks, when Akaashi raised his hand to move the hair away from his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi smiled at him softly, and Kenma smiled back, before turning around and leaving his room. He waved goodbye before disappearing down the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi closed the door, and laid in his bed, eyes on the ceiling. He closed his eyes, and felt his cheeks hurt a little. He just knew he had the biggest smile on his face, and that it wouldn’t go anywhere any time soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because Akaashi was pretty sure that maybe, just maybe, Kenma liked him back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a regular Wednesday, and Akaashi vibrated with the plans of  asking Kenma out by next Friday, in the hopes that Kenma would tell him yes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The following night, the Twins attacked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>IX - THIS IS HOW I WIN YOU BACK</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite it all, the knife and the fear and the sadness that came with Kenma’s words, Akaashi didn’t break eye contact.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you,” He said, feeling the blade against his skin when he swallowed. “I trust you. I’ll always trust you.” The blade pressed harder, but his voice didn’t waiver.  “Kuroo wouldn’t have wanted you to do this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kuro can’t give his opinion now, can he?” Kenma asked, bitterly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. But I know you still think of him, would want to respect him.” Kenma sneered again, pressing harder. Akaashi felt one single string of blood roll down his throat - if he ever got out of that situation, he would most likely have a scar. Maybe this would be it, maybe he would die by Kenma’s hand. He couldn’t bring himself to regret it, however. If it meant seeing Kenma one last time, then it had been worth it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kenma,” Akaashi whispered, as it was harder to speak now. “Please don’t do this. This isn’t you. Please come back with me, please.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t.” Kenma said, and maybe it was a trick of the poor lighting but Akaashi could have sworn that there was a glimpse in his eyes, as if Kenma was about to cry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, you can,” Akaashi whispered again, a small flame of hope lighted in his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’ll never accept me back,” Kenma replied, but his voice was less confident, more trembling. The blade was still sharp against Akaashi’s throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That's not true! You know that's not true.” Akaashi pleaded, “You’ll always be welcomed back. The leaders of the academy still feel guilty for what happened, they wouldn’t hold it against you. Bokuto misses you, Yaku misses you, I missed you. I’m in a great team now, I’m sure they would love to help you get back on your feet.” Akaashi said, but he could feel Kenma’s heart wasn’t in it, that he couldn’t believe his words. So he went for a different approach, the plan that had been on his mind for a while now. “If it hurts too much to stay, then we’ll run away, I’ll go anywhere with you. If you want to give up, then we’ll turn in our licences. We can do anything you want, but please, please come back.” Akaashi whispered again. There were tears running down his face, he could feel it. Kenma’s eyes still on his, filled with pain and anger and fear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Slowly, Kenma put the knife down. It clattered loudly on the floor when it slipped out of his hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>X - THIS IS HOW IT ENDS, HOW IT STARTS</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At some point during that night, in the middle of their fight,  the rain had stopped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Akaashi looked up through the windows, the sky was different shades of yellow, pink and orange again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bright, soft colours - For a new day. A new hope. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they left the room, Kenma had closed his eyes, tuning himself to what was going on around him, trying to sense who was still in the building with them. What he found was almost silence - Oikawa, Iwazumi and the rest of their gang had left. They would later learn that some of them had been severely wounded, and others had been arrested, but the two main villains had escaped unscathed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kenma had accompanied Akaashi back to his meeting spot, where the car had been parked. Bokuto was waiting for him,  fuming. It was a rare occasion, to see the hero angry, but Akaashi had considered the reaction fair - he had abandoned him mid-fight after all, with no warning. Not only had he failed in his most basic duty, helping his hero, but Bokuto had also been worried sick with the idea that he had been kidnapped or wounded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the anger melts away from his face, however, the second his eyes laid on Kenma. Kenma bit his lip, playing with his fingers anxiously. He was sure Bokuto wouldn’t want to see him, would reject him for turning evil, but instead Bokuto had simply practically sprinted into his direction, picking him up and pressing against his chest into an almost suffocating hug. Kenma had protested, but it had been so low it could barely be heard. His arms were also tight around Bokuto’s neck, making it hard to believe any sort of resistance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kenma had given himself up to the police willingly - he told them everything. Where it was Oikawa’s and his crew evil lair, what their plan was (to kidnap and injure Ushijima, after he had severely injured Oikawa and gave an interview talking about how Oikawa could have never been a good hero) and how to stop them. Kenma went through trial, and was questioned by a hero with a ‘truth inducing’ power. He had revealed that his participation in crime had only been in minor accidents, and warning when the police had arrived. His licence had been put on hold, and he would have to do extra charity work in order to possibly redeem himself, as well as take ethics classes again. However, he was allowed to live in the compounds again, and observe other heroes and try to help out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the trial, when Kenma told Akaashi that he wanted to be a hero again and work in the academy, his voice had cracked a little. He said he wanted to make sure that no innocent kid, like Kuroo, would ever die again when they should have been protected by older heroes. Akaashi thought he was going to cry. When Kenma touched his face, hand soft and warm against it, Akaashi realized that they were both crying. He pressed his face against Kenma’s hand, allowing the tears to flow freely. They would be ok.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Daichi offered Kenma a place in the Karasuno team, he had been more than anxious. He asked why, and Daichi had shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Akaashi trusts you.” He said “And so does Bokuto. We also received strong recommendations from Yaku, Kai and a few of your older teachers back in the academy.” He had paused then, eyes hooded with a dark shadow of past and bittersweet nostalgia, before looking up again. “I also knew Kuroo. We went to a couple training camps together, during a few summers. He always talked about you. I doubt someone that had the undying trust, loyalty and faith of Kuroo Tetsurou could ever be a bad person.” Daichi concluded, and Kenma nodded. They both pretended his lips weren't trembling and his hands weren’t bawled into tight fists.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A week later, Kenma found himself in front of the Karasuno base, a suitcase with his few possessions in one of his hands. Akaashi had been waiting for him at the door already. They looked into each other’s eyes and, for what felt like the first time in a decade, they smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Akaashi stretched his hand at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, Kenma took it. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>yes Vale, I killed Kuroo again for you. If you use it against me I will write the among us au sequel where Kenma murders Akaashi - do not test me, this is a warning and not a threat. I hope you enjoyed this! </p><p>Anyway, thank you so much for reading this! If you'd like to see me yelling about yearning, Kuroo and confessions you can always find me on <a href="https://twitter.com/ffskuroo">twitter</a>!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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